Trailer hitch help
 

I Live in Argentina (south america) and a friend has an euro spec 2005 x3.
The dealer here wants a fortune for the trailer hitch kit.

One of the options is to import the US Spec Trailer Hitch Kit. Another option is to buy an aftermarket kit.

Does anyone know if the US spec trailer kit will work on an euro spec X3?
Where can I buy just the electrical kit and maybe do de hardware localy?

Regards

BQ

Yeah, it will all bolt up and wire up normally I believe... But the catch is the ball system is different from Euro spec and US spec. It really depends on the front connector of the trailer, metric or standard sized ball receiver.

Westfalia make the towbars for UK X3's so assume it would be the Euro spec. Don't know what you consider expensive but indipendant fitters here (UK) charge £570 whereas BMW dealers charge not far from double that and dont do the job themselves - they send the cars to indipendants then add their cut!.

It has removable hitch (swan neck) which requires the SE rear bumper that has a piece that clips out for when you put the hitch in. This means the bumper doesnt need cutting at all.
Its 13 pin electrics so if you dont have them (I dont) you need a 13 pin to twin electric converter.

You also need the BMW loom which you plug in that stops the rear sensors activating when the hitch is attached. (And shuts fog lights off plus ensures the anti-snake option is enabled).

The towbar and electrics plus 13 pin twin electric adaptor is about £300 here to buy and the BMW loom is about £100. Dealers allow roughly 5 hours for the job - so imho the indipendant price of £570 in the UK is ok with warranty aswell.
The BMW price is a rip off.

HTH.

The dealer charges cuadruple here, and i have to wait 60 days for the kit.

The cost in the us is $399

I read on another post that the module tells the car that you are towing and changes the settings for traction control or braking.correctly.

All ball sizes and trailer conectrions (4, 7 or 13 pin)are available localy for cheap.

My main concern is for the electrical parts to plug correctly and for the electrical module to work.

Also i see different part numbers from the online dealers for the kit.

71-60-0-035-368 at BMW Accessories - Genuine Accessories for BMW 1 Series E82 88 3 Series E46 3 Series E90-93 5 Series E60 61 6 Series E63 64 7 Series E65 66 X3 X5 X6 Z4 at Dealerfit.com
71 60 0 303 878 at BMW Parts and BMW Accessories | Bavarian Autosport

The more i search, the more im confused.

Sebastian

The module may be different from US to EURO then... I forgot about the rear fogs etc. that make them different. And the US hitch design and hitch ball setup are completely different from the EURO design swan neck... If you are towing a traler set up for EURO, you would likely be better off with the EURO spec hitch, even if it does cost more.

All i want is for the car's computer to know that i have a trailer and to have runing and braking lights, and turnsignals without paying u$ 2000 for it....

HELP!


Sebastian